Composites One reshapes customer experience through digital transformation while maintaining technical expertise across industries
For decades, Composites One has played a central role in North America’s composites supply chain. Today, the company supports manufacturers across aerospace, marine, wind energy, transportation, infrastructure, construction and other markets by helping them source materials, find solutions to supply chain challenges, access technical support and keep production moving. As customer needs evolve, Composites One continues to focus on making it easier for customers to get the information, service and expertise they need.
Composite materials remain at the heart of Composites One’s business, but customer expectations continue to evolve. Customers want convenient access to product information, availability, account tools, invoices and technical documentation on their own terms. At the same time, they continue to rely on Composites One’s technical teams when evaluating new applications, solving process challenges or selecting materials.
To meet those needs, Composites One prioritized a new e-commerce platform designed to make routine tasks easier while preserving the consultative support customers value. Christina Chatfield, Head of Digital Growth, describes the effort as a customer-led transformation. “This was more than an update. It was a digital transformation. As we listened to our customers, it became clear the industry needed a better way to support how they buy, source and manage materials. That challenge inspired Composites One to rebuild the experience around the customer.”
The process began with customer listening sessions, followed by broader feedback and ongoing input from a customer advisory group. “It started with listening,” Christina notes. “Early feedback from customers pointed us toward clear opportunities to improve the experience, so we made it a priority to understand those needs properly rather than guess at solutions. The platform was built with our customers.”
The initiative brought together sales enablement, marketing, Information systems, e-commerce and customer experience teams around one shared goal: creating a simpler, more connected journey for customers.
Composites One manages tens of thousands of products from more than 600 suppliers, and customer needs differ across markets. Instead of building separate experiences for every market, Composites One focused on intuitive search and filtering tools that help customers find the right materials and supporting information more efficiently. “That variety was one of the harder design challenges we had to solve. We focused first on making search and filtering useful enough that customers could find what they need based on the attributes that matter to them, regardless of which industry they’re in,” Christina remarks.
For customers, the difference is tangible, as the platform gives them access to product availability, pricing, invoices, account management tools, technical documents and support resources in one place. But the real win is not technology for technology’s sake – it is about making everyday interactions easier while preserving the conversations that benefit from personal support.
Some customer interactions call for expertise and problem-solving. Others simply need to be fast and convenient. The platform helps support both. “Our technical expertise in the field is our strength, and our ‘feet on the street’ approach is something we know matters deeply to our customers’ success. That isn’t changing. If you already know the product that works for your process, you shouldn’t need to call a rep to reorder it or check an invoice. Customers should have the option of self-service if that is their preference,” Christina states. The shift gives customers and technical sales representatives more time for high-value conversations, helping customers evaluate materials, improve processes and solve production issues. “It’s a tool to make customers’ lives easier, not a substitute for the relationships and expertise that got us here,” she adds.
Chief Commercial Officer Dave Smith sees the platform as part of Composites One’s broader commitment to helping customers adapt, grow, and meet changing market needs. Dave emphasizes the importance of focusing on the applications where composites deliver the greatest long-term value. “As an industry, we need to focus our efforts where composites are the right solution and work with stakeholders to address challenges, capture opportunities, and support broader adoption,” he highlights. That perspective guides Composites One’s investments, including the new e-commerce platform. “These investments are about building capabilities where customers need us most. As expectations change, we are making it easier for customers to access information, manage routine transactions, and connect with our team when expertise is needed. This helps us work alongside customers and support the successful use of composite parts in any application,” Dave notes.
The e-commerce initiative also strengthened how Composites One manages the product information customers depend on. Accurate, complete and easy-to-use data helps customers compare options, find supporting documents and make more informed decisions. “Internally, this has been treated as a long-term investment, not a one-time project. We’ve invested heavily in strengthening our product data, since accurate, complete information is what makes search and filtering useful for customers,” continues Dave.
If there’s one thing connecting these initiatives, it’s the belief at Composites One that real progress comes from ongoing collaboration. The new platform is a big step forward, but the company sees it as part of a continuing effort – not yet a finished project.
The next phase of development will be shaped by the same customer involvement that guided the initial build. “September’s broader launch is a milestone, not a finish line. We’ve already had months of customer feedback to work with, and we’re actively planning future enhancements based on that input. Our customer advisory group remains involved in helping to shape what comes next. The Composites One platform is meant to keep evolving alongside our customers’ needs. We don’t expect ever to consider it ‘done,’” Dave concludes.
